Act 3, Scene 1: A field near Frogmore

SCENE I. A field near Frogmore.

    Enter SIR HUGH EVANS and SIMPLE

SIR HUGH EVANS

    I pray you now, good master Slender's serving-man,
    and friend Simple by your name, which way have you
    looked for Master Caius, that calls himself doctor of physic?

SIMPLE

    Marry, sir, the pittie-ward, the park-ward, every
    way; old Windsor way, and every way but the town
    way.

SIR HUGH EVANS

    I most fehemently desire you you will also look that
    way.

SIMPLE

    I will, sir.

    Exit

SIR HUGH EVANS

    'Pless my soul, how full of chollors I am, and
    trempling of mind! I shall be glad if he have
    deceived me. How melancholies I am! I will knog
    his urinals about his knave's costard when I have
    good opportunities for the ork. 'Pless my soul!

    Sings
    To shallow rivers, to whose falls
    Melodious birds sings madrigals;
    There will we make our peds of roses,
    And a thousand fragrant posies.
    To shallow--
    Mercy on me! I have a great dispositions to cry.

    Sings
    Melodious birds sing madrigals--
    When as I sat in Pabylon--
    And a thousand vagram posies.
    To shallow & c.

    Re-enter SIMPLE

SIMPLE

    Yonder he is coming, this way, Sir Hugh.

SIR HUGH EVANS

    He's welcome.

    Sings
    To shallow rivers, to whose falls-
    Heaven prosper the right! What weapons is he?

SIMPLE

    No weapons, sir. There comes my master, Master
    Shallow, and another gentleman, from Frogmore, over
    the stile, this way.

SIR HUGH EVANS

    Pray you, give me my gown; or else keep it in your arms.

    Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER

SHALLOW

    How now, master Parson! Good morrow, good Sir Hugh.
    Keep a gamester from the dice, and a good student
    from his book, and it is wonderful.

SLENDER

    [Aside] Ah, sweet Anne Page!

PAGE

    'Save you, good Sir Hugh!

SIR HUGH EVANS

    'Pless you from his mercy sake, all of you!

SHALLOW

    What, the sword and the word! do you study them
    both, master parson?

PAGE

    And youthful still! in your doublet and hose this
    raw rheumatic day!

SIR HUGH EVANS

    There is reasons and causes for it.

PAGE

    We are come to you to do a good office, master parson.

SIR HUGH EVANS

    Fery well: what is it?

PAGE

    Yonder is a most reverend gentleman, who, belike
    having received wrong by some person, is at most
    odds with his own gravity and patience that ever you
    saw.

SHALLOW

    I have lived fourscore years and upward; I never
    heard a man of his place, gravity and learning, so
    wide of his own respect.

SIR HUGH EVANS

    What is he?

PAGE

    I think you know him; Master Doctor Caius, the
    renowned French physician.

SIR HUGH EVANS

    Got's will, and his passion of my heart! I had as
    lief you would tell me of a mess of porridge.

PAGE

    Why?

SIR HUGH EVANS

    He has no more knowledge in Hibocrates and Galen,
    --and he is a knave besides; a cowardly knave as you
    would desires to be acquainted withal.

PAGE

    I warrant you, he's the man should fight with him.

SHALLOW

    [Aside] O sweet Anne Page!

SHALLOW

    It appears so by his weapons. Keep them asunder:
    here comes Doctor Caius.

    Enter Host, DOCTOR CAIUS, and RUGBY

PAGE

    Nay, good master parson, keep in your weapon.

SHALLOW

    So do you, good master doctor.

Host

    Disarm them, and let them question: let them keep
    their limbs whole and hack our English.

DOCTOR CAIUS

    I pray you, let-a me speak a word with your ear.
    Vherefore vill you not meet-a me?

SIR HUGH EVANS

    [Aside to DOCTOR CAIUS] Pray you, use your patience:
    in good time.

DOCTOR CAIUS

    By gar, you are de coward, de Jack dog, John ape.

SIR HUGH EVANS

    [Aside to DOCTOR CAIUS] Pray you let us not be
    laughing-stocks to other men's humours; I desire you
    in friendship, and I will one way or other make you amends.

    Aloud
    I will knog your urinals about your knave's cockscomb
    for missing your meetings and appointments.

DOCTOR CAIUS

    Diable! Jack Rugby,--mine host de Jarteer,--have I
    not stay for him to kill him? have I not, at de place
    I did appoint?

SIR HUGH EVANS

    As I am a Christians soul now, look you, this is the
    place appointed: I'll be judgement by mine host of
    the Garter.

Host

    Peace, I say, Gallia and Gaul, French and Welsh,
    soul-curer and body-curer!

DOCTOR CAIUS

    Ay, dat is very good; excellent.

Host

    Peace, I say! hear mine host of the Garter. Am I
    politic? am I subtle? am I a Machiavel? Shall I
    lose my doctor? no; he gives me the potions and the
    motions. Shall I lose my parson, my priest, my Sir
    Hugh? no; he gives me the proverbs and the
    no-verbs. Give me thy hand, terrestrial; so. Give me
    thy hand, celestial; so. Boys of art, I have
    deceived you both; I have directed you to wrong
    places: your hearts are mighty, your skins are
    whole, and let burnt sack be the issue. Come, lay
    their swords to pawn. Follow me, lads of peace;
    follow, follow, follow.

SHALLOW

    Trust me, a mad host. Follow, gentlemen, follow.

SLENDER

    [Aside] O sweet Anne Page!

    Exeunt SHALLOW, SLENDER, PAGE, and Host

DOCTOR CAIUS

    Ha, do I perceive dat? have you make-a de sot of
    us, ha, ha?

SIR HUGH EVANS

    This is well; he has made us his vlouting-stog. I
    desire you that we may be friends; and let us knog
    our prains together to be revenge on this same
    scall, scurvy cogging companion, the host of the Garter.

DOCTOR CAIUS

    By gar, with all my heart. He promise to bring me
    where is Anne Page; by gar, he deceive me too.

SIR HUGH EVANS

    Well, I will smite his noddles. Pray you, follow.

    Exeunt

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